Self-service store



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A. W. B. JOHNSON SELF SERVICE STORE 2, sheetsheet Filed Ap?` 25, 1921 Mar. 27, E923 F'llcd Apr. Z5,

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UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVA WRIGHT BOSWELL JOHNSON, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

SELF-SERVICE STORE.

Application filed April 25, 1921. Serial No. 464,123.

and exact description.

My invention has for its object to provide a self service store with a plurality of compartments with service stations at the entrance and between adjacent compartments. there being a passageway in one direction at one side of each service station and passages in the opposite direction at the other sides of the service stations.

Vith this construction, the customers ma be watched in relatively small ,groups and from several sides by the clerks who receive money in payment of the sales of merchandise and who wrap the purchased goods.

Additional objects of the invention will appear in the following specification, in which the preferred form of my invention is describec.

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating my invention; and

Figures 2 and'3 are views illustrating modified forms of the invention.

By referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the store 5 is provided with a plurality of compartments 6, 7, 8 and 9, an aisle 10 being disposed between the compartment-s 6 and 7 and an aisle 11 being disposed between the compartments 8 and 9. These aisles 10 and 11 lead from the store entrances 12 and 13, and from the aisles and 11 there are passages communicating with the several compartments. There is disposed in each of these passages a service stat-ion 14 which di vides the entrance 15 from the exit 16. The entrance 15 is disposed substantially the same distance from the end wall 17 of the compartment as the exit 1G is disposed from the opposite end 1S ofthe compartment. It will, therefore, be seen that the service lstations 14 are so disposed that the clerk occupying the enclosure 19 in the service station may have a good view of the compartl ment to observe the customers. In a similar way. the compartments communicate with adjacent compartments through openings in the walls, there being service stations 2O in these openings which divide the openings into two passages. one at eac-h side of the service station. These service stations 2O are disposed at substantially equal distances from the side walls ot' the compartments so that the clerks .occupying the enclosures 2l may be positioned to overlook the compartments and the customers moving about within the compartments. In a similar way, the adjacent compartments 7 or 8 are connected by passageways which are divided by service stations 22 having enclosures 23 for the clerks, the passages at each side of the j service stations 22 being spaced at substantially equal distances from the end wallsof said compartments 7 and 8. The service stations and the passages leading from and to the aisle 11 are substantially the same as the service stations and passages leading from and to the aisle 10, and the passages and service stations between the adjacent compartments 7, the adjacent compartments 8 and the adjacent compartments 9 are the same as the service stations and the passages connecting adjacent compartments 6. Each of the service stations 19 has a desk 19 extending inwardly into the compartment so that the clerk, when wrapping goods or dealing with customers, may face the interior of the compartment and watch the customers who are walking about in the compartment. Each of the service stations 2() and22 has two desks 2Oll and 22, one desk extending into each compartment. There are turnstiles at the sides of each serv,- ice station, and these turnstiles at the sides of the service stations 19 are preferably constructed so that it is impossible for customers to enter the compartment from the aisle at the left of the service station or to pass from the compartment into the aisle at the left of the service station. These turnstiles are indicated by the reference character 24. Similar turnstiles are disposed in the passageways at the sides of the service stations 2U and 22, these turnstiles being indicated by the reference character 25. If desired, these turnstiles .25 may also be constl'uctedto direct the customers moving in one direction to one side of the service stations and 22.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2, the construction is substantially the same as the construction illustrated in Figure 1, with the exception that the aisle 10*L extends transversely at the store entrance 12d instead oiextending away therefrom.

In the construction shown in Figure 3, the store is shown substantially the same as the store4 illustrated in Figure 2 with the exception that the store has only a few compartments, which are disposed one behind the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

l. In an apparatus for vending merchandise, a plurality of adjacent compartments with an entrance to one of the compartments and an 'opening between the adjacent compartments, a plurality of service stations, one at the entrance and one at each of the openings, there being a passage in one direction at one side of each service station and passages in the other directions at the other sides of the service stations and means to prevent the movement of the customers at the ,passages in directions opposite to those set forth.

2. In an apparatus for vending merchandise, a plurality of adjacent compartments, there being openings in the Wallsseparating the ,compartments which are spaced substantially equal distances from the ends of the walls and there being entrance openings in the outer walls of a plurality of lcompartments which are spaced substantially equal distances from the ends of the last mentioned walls and a plurality 01E-service stations, one at each opening,

3. In an apparatus for vending merchandise,l a plurality of -adjacent compartments,` there being openings in the walls separat` ing the compartments which are spaced substantially equal distances from the ends of the walls, and there being an entrance opening in the outer wall of one of the compartments which is spaced substantially equal distances from the ends of the said walls,

a plurality of service stations, one at eachopening, there beingk a passage in one direction at one side of each service station, and passages in the other direction at the other sides of the service stations which permit the customers to move freely from anycompartment into any adjacent compartment, and with the service stations for the watchers disposed to permit the watchers to watch the customers in the adjacent compartments from each service station through a lield of vision of 180. i

4. In an apparatus for vending merchandise, a plurality of adjacent compartments, there being openings in the walls separating the compartments which are spaced substantially equal distances from the ends of the walls, and there being an entrance opening in' the outer wall of one of the compartments which is spaced substantially equal distances from the ends of the said walls,

a plurality of service stations, one at each.

opening, there being a passage in one direc tion at one side of each service station, and passages in the other direction at the other sides of the service stations which permit the customers to move freely from any compartmentl into any adjacent compartment, and with the service stations for the Watchers disposed to permit the watchers to Watch the customers in the acent coml partments from each service station through a field of vision of and means to prevent the movement of the customersvat the passages in directions opposite (to those named.

ALVA WRIGHT BOSW'ELL J OHNSN. 

